Shopping for conflict-free jewelry is harder than it should be

But we have more options than we used to

The jewelry industry is a dinosaur.

I say this a lot. Heck, I’ve probably said it already on this blog.

Broadly speaking, we are slow to adapt to new ideas, slow to recognize actual threats to the industry, and slow to admit when our systems don’t work.

Just look at the fact that the Kimberley Process (KP) stayed as a static and underwhelming process for checks date more than two decades before significant changes was forced into being because Russia invaded Ukraine and suddenly the pressure was on. Finally.

And yeah, it probably helped that both the invading country and the country being invaded were both majority white countries. Up until now, the industry found it easy to ignore internal conflicts or other atrocities.

What is your responsibility as a consumer of jewelry?

That shouldn’t be your problem when you go in search of an engagement ring that can have some traceability, some provenance, some assurance that the conditions under which your stones and metals were mined, collected or repurposed were born out of fairness and respect for humanity.

But here we are, and it is up to you to do more than your fair share of due diligence when shopping for jewelry.

You have many more options than before for responsibly-produced jewelry

The good and hopeful news for you is that there are more and better options than there used to be. Small corners of the industry have diligently worked to create relationships with miners, to pay fair wages and prices, to trace materials from mine to market and to repurpose materials in ways that are true to the very idea of repurposing.

Consider this a short guide for what to look out for. It isn’t comprehensive, it is a start, and this information can and should change as we all learn new things.

Start by learning what to look out for with jewelry

Educate yourself first – know that a diamond being KP certified only measures one small thing and does not account for human rights violations outside of inter-country conflicts:

• It doesn’t guarantee fair pay, clean water and air or anything else.

• It doesn’t guarantee worker safety or the safety of local communities.

Open up your mind to so many stones outside of diamonds.

• Lots of sapphires have a shorter supply chain than diamonds, that makes them somewhat easier to track, same with some rubies and garnets too.

• There are women’s mining collectives in Tanzania and the sapphires they produce come in so many colors. These sapphires do so much good by putting the economic control into the hands of women, creating systems that keep environmental damage to a minimum, pay better wages and create relationships that build equity. And in many cases you’ll know not only where it was mined, but who specifically mined it and cut it.

• Montana sapphires and Australian sapphires both have better (though sometimes still imperfect) traceability. Many Montana and Australian sapphires are sent to Thailand or other countries for cutting, but the gem cutters are usually known to the mine owners and sellers.

• What about just metal? There is no actual rule that says that you MUST GET A STONE. You could get an all metal ring in a cool design that doubles as both a wedding ring and engagement ring. There are no rules!

• When you open yourself up to possibilities outside of diamonds, your choices can only grow.

And on the metal front, recycled gold is…fine. It’s fine. It’s just not nearly enough, and the commercial gold recycling process almost always includes new gold anyway. And what counts as a recycled source of gold is what I like to call loosey-goosey. Here are some other gold sources to consider:

• Look for designers working in Fairmined gold if you want to support small communities who are getting paid fair wage, supporting their communities, and are working diligently to reduce and eventually end the use of mercury in gold mining.

• Gold from mines that don’t use mercury is harder to come by, but the Fairmined organization does offer a certification for gold mined without it. The movement is growing and if you find jewelers using it, you’ll know that your jeweler has done their homework.

• Look for jewelers who will incorporate your own gold. You might have older, inherited pieces that you don’t wear and you’d like to transform them into something new. Some jewelers will simply take old jewelry as credit and turn it over to a refiner – nothing wrong with that! But if you’d like a shorter supply chain, ask if they can incorporate your gold into a new piece.

And now for a few signs that a jeweler might not have deeper information. Or hasn’t educated themselves enough yet.

• If the KP is their only measure for certifying diamonds and they aren’t interested in offering or seeking more information.

  • Remember – the KP is the only body that actually certifies conflict-free diamonds, they just do a piss-poor job of it.

  • Lots of jewelers know this and are willing to acknowledge that the system doesn’t offer many alternatives. Many of these same jewelers are also willing to go above and beyond to source a stone that does meet your needs.

• If the jeweler you go to doesn’t want to answer your questions, or acts dismissive, there is no reason for you to give them your business. There are plenty of designers and jewelers who will, and new ones come up all the time. I recommend getting comfortable asking uncomfortable questions, and be prepared to walk away.

Treat this as your starter guide! And I also want to hear from you – what questions do you have about the ins and outs of finding the right, ethical jeweler for your engagement ring, wedding ring or other jewelry?

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